Natural products which exist in extremelylimited quantities but nevertheless intimately related to the functioning of life should be studied. The sequence would be isolation and structural studies followed by syntheses, biosyntheses, and clarification of bio-organic roles. Nucleic acid bases, chemical carcinogens, and neurotoxins are the types of natural products being investigated in particular. Another major effort will be to develop new applications of spectroscopy and to further exploit usage of high speed liquid chromatography. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: Benzo(a)pyrene Diol Epoxides as Intermediates in Nucleic Acid Binding in vitro and in vivo, I. B. Weinstein, A.M. Jeffrey, K.W. Jennette, S.H. Blobstein, R.G. Harvey, C. Harris, H. Autrup, H. Kasai, and K. Nakanishi, Science, 193, 592 (1976). Absolute Configuration of a Ribonucleic Acid Adduct Formed in vivo by Metabolism of Benzo(a)pyrene, K. Nakanishi, H. Kasai, H. Cho, R.G. Harvey, A.M. Jeffrey, K.W. Jennette, and I.B. Weinstein, J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 99, 258 (1977).